Question for ya, Dan...

[whitetail_addict]

So I've heard you say in the past that you believe the very best time to kill the biggest buck of one's life is opening day. On a recent podcast, however, you said you thought it was late season. It seems like most of your success at least from what I see comes early on in the season so I'm just curious, has your opinion changed? And, if so, could you explain from your perspective?

Or, do you just believe early season may be the best time for THE biggest buck and late season the best for A big buck in general?

[dan]

So I've heard you say in the past that you believe the very best time to kill the biggest buck of one's life is opening day. On a recent podcast, however, you said you thought it was late season. It seems like most of your success at least from what I see comes early on in the season so I'm just curious, has your opinion changed? And, if so, could you explain from your perspective?

Or, do you just believe early season may be the best time for THE biggest buck and late season the best for A big buck in general?

Hmmm... I look at both time frames as a great time for real big bucks... Better than the rut maybe in a lot of cases. But... (there is always a "but" right?) But, late season you need to be where the food is, and bitter cold days are what really makes the giants move. Great time to be observing cause bucks are real patternable... but a lot of this action may be on private land with food plots. Thats not to say you can't find this type of situation on public... Just its easier on private.

Early season, if your season opens in mid-September or earlier can be increadable too, but it takes more work, more scouting, and more understanding of when, why, and how the deer are moving. You can catch bucks in certain scenarios where they are very killable in early season like an isolated swamp island in the middle of good bedding with the only 4 white oaks dropping for miles... Contrary, you could be hunting hill country with oaks everywhere and the bucks won't leave there bedding in daylight cause they are feeding there... Both early and late when/where its bitter cold will have old bucks moving well in daylight in the evenings.

So yes, late season is the best time to kill a giant buck, and yes, early season is the best time to kill a giant buck. Sorry for any confusion. My glass is always 1/2 full

[JoeRE]

I like how Dan looks at it. The best time to kill a big buck is when you find one.

[Stanley]

I like how Dan looks at it. The best time to kill a big buck is when you find one.

Precisely.

[stash59]

To me it seems like Dan's glass is always 3/4 full!!

[whitetail_addict]

To me it seems like Dan's glass is always 3/4 full!!

Haha I'd have to agree with ya there.

Thanks for clearing that up Dan.

[Divergent]

It doesn't get cold enough here in the South to force movement, but you can't beat those first few weeks of the season. It's an incredible time to be in the woods.

[Waymore]

the problem for Dan ( a good problem to have) is he usually doesn't have a tag left in late season from what I hear

[dan]

the problem for Dan ( a good problem to have) is he usually doesn't have a tag left in late season from what I hear

Thats true In 1990 I was hunting an 11 pointer that had a well used primary bedding area on a thick hill that was real tough to get close too. I ended up finally shooting that buck on the last day of the season right at the last minute of the season at the buzzer... Slightly off topic, but Im getting old and like to tell stories.

[Tennhunter3]

Here in hilly Tennessee.

I think bucks feed in their bedding area in alot of cases we have soo many oaks.

When we get no rain in the summer we have less acorns bucks move to those hot trees then.

Late season its never brutal cold rarely goes below 20.

I think the first week is best simply because bucks have not had pressure yet.